What if
by The One Who Waits
Summary: What if Lucius Malfoy had dropped the diary when Dobby threw him down the stairs. What if Harry decides to pick it up.


_Disclaimer: I own none of the characters of Harry Potter. _

_Summary: What if Lucius Malfoy had dropped the diary when Dobby threw him down the stairs and Harry just decides to pick it up._

_Authors Note: Anything in bold is from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets not me._

**_"Professor Dumbledore," he said hurriedly, "can I give that diary back to Mr. Malfoy, please?" _**

_**"Certainly, Harry," said Dumbledore calmly. "But hurry. The feast, remember." **_

_**Harry grabbed the diary and dashed out of the office. He could hear Dobby's squeals of pain receding around the corner. Quickly, wondering if this plan could possibly work, Harry took off one of his shoes, pulled off his slimy, filthy sock, and stuffed the diary into it.**_

_**Then he ran down the dark corridor. **_

_**He caught up with them at the top of the stairs. **_

_**"Mr. Malfoy," he gasped, skidding to a halt, "I've got something for you." **_

_**And he forced the smelly sock into Lucius Malfoy's hand. **_

_**"What the-?" **_

_**Mr. Malfoy ripped the sock off the diary, threw it aside, then looked furiously from the ruined book to Harry. **_

_**"You'll meet the same sticky end as your parents one of these days, Harry Potter," he said softly. "They were meddlesome fools, too." **_

_**He turned to go. **_

_**"Come, Dobby. I said, Come!" **_

_**But Dobby didn't move. He was holding up Harry's disgusting, slimy sock, and looking at it as though it were a priceless treasure. **_

_**"Master has given Dobby a sock," said the elf in wonderment. "Master gave it to Dobby." **_

_**"What's that," spat Mr. Malfoy. "What did you say?" **_

_**"Dobby has got a sock," said Dobby in disbelief. "Master threw it, and Dobby caught it, and Dobby- Dobby is free." **_

_**Lucius Malfoy stood frozen, staring at the elf.**_

_**Then he lunged at Harry. **_

_**"You've lost me my servant, boy!" **_

_**But Dobby shouted, "You shall not harm Harry Potter!"**_

_**There was a loud bang, and Mr. Malfoy was thrown backwards. He crashed down the stairs, three at a time, landing in a crumpled heap on the landing below. **_

_**He got up, his face livid, and pulled out his wand, but Dobby raised a long threatening finger. **_

_**"You shall go now," he said fiercely, pointing down at Mr. Malfoy. "You shall not touch Harry Potter. You shall go now." **_

_**Lucius Malfoy had no choice. With a last, incensed stare at the pair of them, he swung his cloak around him and hurried out of sight. **_

_**"Harry Potter freed Dobby!" said the elf shrilly, gazing up at Harry, moonlight from the nearest window reflected in his orb-like eyes. "Harry Potter set Dobby free!" **_

_**"Least I could do, Dobby," said Harry, grinning. "Just promise me never to try and save my life again." **_

_**The elf's ugly brown face split suddenly into a wide, toothy smile. **_

_**"I've just got one question, Dobby," said Harry, as Dobby pulled on Harry's sock with shaking hands. "You told me all this had nothing to do with He Who Must Not Be Named, remember? Well-" **_

_**"It was a clue, sir," said Dobby, his eyes widening as though this was obvious. "Dobby was giving you a clue. The Dark Lord, before he changed his name, could be freely named, you see?" **_

_**"Right," said Harry weakly. "Well, I'd better go. There's a feast, and my friend Hermione should be awake by now...**__"_

_**Dobby threw his arms around Harry's middle and hugged him. **_

_**"Harry Potter is greater by far than Dobby knew!" he sobbed. **_

_**"Farewell, Harry Potter!" **_

_**And with a final loud crack, Dobby disappeared. **_

Harry looked down at the destoryed reminder of what had just happened. In the back of his head wondering how something so small and harmless looking could end up being so horrible. But, as Harry had learned in the past, you can't judge a book by it's cover. Not knowing why, but feeling the need to, Harry picked up Riddle's ruined diary and tucked it in the crock of his arm before deciding he was hungry and running to eat with his housemates.

Harry was staring at the diary. He had just arrived at his relatives and was unpacking when he found it. Harry couldn't believe it. There was nothing on the book to sugest that it had been harmed. No hole where the basalisk fang had peirced it. It was as if it was brand new. With a heavy heart Harry opened the diary. Taking out his inkwell and a quill. Dipping the quill into the inkwell he hestaintly set it to the diary watching as the splotch of ink shimmered for a second before being absorbed into it's pages.

'Okay', Harry thought 'Gryffindor courage'. Putting his quill to the diary he wrote out, 'Hello, my name is Harry Potter', and waited with baited breath.

The ink stood starkly against the paper untill it faded away. And of it's own accord The ink rose onto the paper once more with words Harry certaintly didn't write.

_'Hello Harry Potter, my name is Tom Riddle but I believe we've already met.'_


End file.
